Germany: Man posing with replica rifle triggers police raid

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

BERLIN (AP) — Berlin police say they deployed a tactical response unit to a refugee shelter after spotting a man with an automatic rifle — only to find it was a replica.

Police spokeswoman Patricia Braemer said Thursday that an off-duty officer walking past the building saw the man through a window posing for photos with the “dangerous looking” weapon and alerted colleagues.

About 30 officers, including a specialist firearms team, stormed the man’s room Wednesday and discovered two men with an airsoft rifle and appropriate ammunition.

Braemer said the rifle was “almost impossible to discern” from a real firearm and lacked a marking required by law. The men, 27 and 29, are being investigated on suspicion of breaking firearms laws.

It is illegal in Germany to display replica firearms in public view.

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.